Disability and Accessibility

888 readers

1 users here now

All things disability and accessibility related, and advocacy for making those things better.

See also this community's sister subs Feminism, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, and POC.

This community's icon was made by Aaron Schneider, under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

it is really hard (beehaw.org)

submitted 11 months ago by xuxxun@beehaw.org to c/disability@beehaw.org

13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Everytime I leave the house to do anything, I either

get shit from people because I am wearing a mask -either minimizing and simply gaslighting comments, or plain agression
when they seemy mask they decide to share their grief with me. It is so hard to listen to all the stories of people dying and becoming disabled from covid, shared by maskless people. I tell them masks work, and they should vaccinate. But it is so tiring. I am just trying to survive. I wish others would help each other survive. I am already tired from my chronic illnesses. Seeing the COVID numbers rise and no one masking or doing anything and staying in denial is horrible for my mental health. I am trying my best to hang on to my sanity. I wish you all that you stay sane too.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] mnglw@beehaw.org 7 points 11 months ago (2 children)

I get asked about my mask a bunch on the street. Honestly I've default to pointing to the trees and saying "allergic" which is true (MCAS, so allergic to everything under the sun including the sun) but not the only reason I wear a mask

So if anyone wants an excuse, feel free to use that, even if you're not allergic. People should keep their noses out of your mask, so I think giving a short answer is the best, even if its not true. They are not owed any reason just because they ask

[–] jarfil@beehaw.org 7 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

[points at tree] "Allergic"

"What? It's winter, that tree has not a single leaf left"

"Oh, sorry, I meant" [points at them] "allergic..."

BTW, it's nice to live in a not-completely-insane country, just went today to the doctor, and half the people were wearing masks.

[–] xuxxun@beehaw.org 4 points 11 months ago

That sounds nice. The last time I saw more than half people in masks was when I was waiting in line to get the booster. I kind of contributed to that by pointing anyone who entered after me towards the box with masks. It was a quite refreshing and completely out of the norm experience here. In this country I get asked by maskless doctors, who are aware that a lot of new patients come to them with long covid, and agree with my opinion that i have long covid, ask me why I wear it.

[–] mnglw@beehaw.org 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

in that case I just go "I am allergic to everything under the sun including the sun and wearing a mask helps me keep control on reactions" for a shorter answer, perhaps mention perfumes and not wanting to be exposed to smells and stuff idk

Allergies are year round for me sadly, so I honestly get away with not pointing at trees and just saying "allergic" as well. And if people were to get confused, I add "to everything" and then walk away

[–] xuxxun@beehaw.org 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah ultimately they are not owed a reason. I if people actually ask instead of being aggressive, I usually prefer to cite scientific studies the best I can at that moment and use this as an opportunity to educate, I want them to wear them too to help me stay safe after all. One way masking is much much worse than, well, all around masking. but it is tiring.

[–] mnglw@beehaw.org 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

honestly I'd recommend against trying to do the emotional labor of convincing them

it just costs far too much energy, energy I'm guessing you already do not have a lot of and moreover its not your responsibility

[–] xuxxun@beehaw.org 1 points 11 months ago

Yeah what you are saying is true.